Adult education has always been something of a niche subject within the wider educational world. Aside from the adjustments that need to be made to the actual teaching methods and materials, there are a lot of factors that can make learning beyond school age to be a complex thing.
One thing that has started to make an impact on adult learners is the uptake of e-learning platforms, systems that can provide education remotely without the need for a physical classroom or, in some cases, even a dedicated teacher.
What makes an e-learning platform?
An e-learning platform isn’t defined as any learning material available on the Internet as a whole. The Internet may be an incredible resource for all kinds of information, from how to hang a painting on HouseLogic to a MrQ how to play slots guide, but for something to be e-learning there must be some form of a structured lesson plan behind it.
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Top e-learning platforms
One of the biggest examples of a complex e-learning platform is the UK’s own Open University, which offers full degree-level courses and more either completely remotely or with extremely limited classroom time. While it doesn’t have the prestige of some universities, the ‘study at your own speed’ model proves to be a massive help to adult learners who, most likely, are also in employment or perhaps have families to care for.
Another site that takes this even further is Codecademy, designed to provide programming skills and knowledge to anyone from anywhere in the world. The core features are entirely free, which is a plus already, and while it doesn’t lead to any significant certificates or qualifications, there’s also no time limit on what you’re doing. You can progress through entirely at your own pace, plus review and retry practicals if you feel the need to. Again, adult learners are set to benefit from this structure; real life can and does happen after all, and there’s no telling when you might have to put your learning aside for whatever reason.
The Duolingo case
Platforms don’t have to be this big or even this serious though. A lot of people these days are familiar with the Duolingo owl, and the app itself has reached millions of people worldwide. While it’s used by learners of all ages, there is one thing that adult students benefit from more than others, namely access to variety.
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Education standards have changed over the past two decades, and while language is now a key focus, it wasn’t when many of today’s adults were still at school. Modern students may now get a selection of three different languages to learn from a list of ten, where in the past, it was usually just one language without a choice at all. Apps like Duolingo provide access to knowledge that was simply never available before.
The fact is, although adult learners may still be a minority in the grand scheme of things, there are many resources still available out there to make it more possible, and we’re seeing more appear every year.
